For those of us who grew up on this generation of players, these highlights are a particular treat, though the occasional glimpse of a now illegal (then legal) back pass reminds us how much time has passed since World Cups appearances and widely available national team games were harder to come by.

With Friday’s qualifier against Costa Rica fast approaching, U.S. Soccer has added two classic highlights to their YouTube account. The first is so old is doesn’t have sound, but the clip makes up for it with some U.S.-Slovenia-esque controversy (this time, in the U.S.’s favor) and the States’ own Luis Suarez moment.

If it wasn’t for Tab Ramos, Dave Vanole, and those little bits of luck, the U.S. may have never got these three crucial points on the way to their watershed 1990 World Cup qualification. Here are the highlights of their 1989 qualifier win over Costa Rica, a 1-0 in St. Louis:

Two years later, the teams met at the Coliseum in Los Angeles, where four first half goals left the teams drawn at halftime. But after an early second half corner became a Costa Rican own goal, the U.S. had another win over the Ticos:

great vids … so much to love about both of them … the late 80s/early 90s were far and away the best era for soccer hair. That mop on Hugo Perez was something else.

“Supersonico” Wynalda? That one never stuck, I guess…Also, funny to see Tab score from outside the box against CR back in ’89 because he did it to the Ticos again in another crucial qualifier 8 years later.